Hand of Sorrow
by ChildofStorms
Summary: In a land made up of magic and the mostly unlikely of beings, the appearance of a new creature could lead to the destruction of all others. Zack/Fem!Cloud. Mix of Final Fantasy 7 and Kingdom Hearts


Hand of Sorrow

Zack/fem! Cloud

KH/FF7 crossover

Song by Within Temptation. Thank God for songs that give me ideas X D

Gender changes (Some are mentioned, others aren't…lol):

Sora, Zexion, Demyx, Cloud, Genesis, Roxas, Reno (basically almost every Uke.)

(Maybe I'll make some oneshots between these characters and their special ones : D

_In the world of the night, creatures of lore roamed and ruled over the cities. Low-born Vampires prowled throughout the streets while the Purebloods sat in luxury. Werewolves basked in the moonlight, their fur gleaming silver in their Patron's light. The elves sang in the trees, bartered by street corners, or chased around the nymphs and dryads of the fields. No human would dare venture into the night because of this, the danger being too great. This caused a great separation between the two worlds, one that couldn't be bridged due to the fear of the repercussions. No one wanted a Vampire for a friend, or a Werewolf to walk beside them. _

_This all changed, however, when a light fell from the heavens. It left no visible consequence until a year or so later, when certain humans began to show strange abilities. From their souls, they could forge a staff that allowed them to control the mystical elements of the world. Each staff was a reflection of the human; if it was intricate and strong then the person was exceptionally powerful. The same was said if it was plain and weak. These humans became the bridge between the two worlds, being able to walk with humans during the day and then associate with the creatures of the night. Both worlds gave them a name, setting them aside as neither human nor creature, but a mix in between. They called them Mages. _

_With their help, the different sects of the night created higher Councils to keep the lesser under control. The Vampires formed the Organization consisting of 13 members, the Werewolves formed Soldier, and the Fae formed the Keyblade Wielders after a particular legend of their kind. They also formed a group known as The Turks to help gather information on the outside world that they were not use to. The Mages formed a high council, known simply as The Elders. As these Councils were formed, so too did blood banks to supply the Vampires and an occasional Fae and also large forest like parks were animals were kept untouched for the Werewolves. The Fae were granted lush pieces of nature to establish courts and the humans were able to keep their cities while enjoying the sights of these Fae made pieces of paradise. Thus, both worlds were joined, and the humans could walk into the night, only having to fear the occasional insane Vampire or an Unseelie Fae._

_**But nothing remains peaceful…**_

Screams were heard throughout the streets, panic echoing and crashing against the man-made buildings. Humans scampered across the pavement, dodging pieces of shrapnel and rock. Cars were overturned, resting against each other in odd positions. Blood pooled out from one pile, a broken hand peeking out from underneath the metal. Amongst the bodies of the dead, a camera crew stood against the wall of grey brick building, trying to stay away from the people and the dangerous objects that were all around them.

"Radiant Garden News, this is Eva Burgden, reporting live at yet another attack on downtown,-"

The reporter gasped as a man was thrown near her, almost knocking her down. She curled into herself before regaining her posture, her eyes reflecting her fear.

"The heartless have launched another attack, and as I speak quite literally thousands are dying here on 15th and Sprague. Councils have yet to send help as they did last time, and no one has seen sight of a Mage- medical or offensive."

She continued, alerting all those that were watching. She paused, a confused look on her face as she saw the camera man lower his equipment and back away.

"Jim, wha-"

She was cut off as a clawed hand grabbed her, dragging her to the ground. Her arms were ripped and torn as it pulled her into a nearby dark alley. Pieces of nails, flesh and blood told her tale as she disappeared into the shadow. All the while she screamed, begging for help until a large crunch alerted to her end. Like a coward her partner began to run away, only to be forced to the ground by one of the dark creatures jumping on his back. Its teeth dug into his shoulder, his cries becoming gargled as his lungs filled with blood. As his eyes finally closed for good, a black furred Wolf barreled into the heartless. It snarled as it looked back to the dead human and then at the blood trail leading to the alley way were the reporter had been dragged across the asphalt and concrete. Its head turned as it focused in on the heartless, eyes flickering with an unnatural glow that made its purple eyes look ethereal.

It quickly launched itself, letting out a howl that was echoed by three others nearby. It landed on the heartless with a small grunt that was hidden by its snarls of rage. With strong jaws, it ripped into the creature and tore it apart until only its mangled arm was in its mouth. It stood over its kill, jaws dripping with the dark flesh and blood of the heartless. It stared at the monster, then back at the humans as it let out a sigh. With no warning, the Wolf tensed, eyes pointed at 13 figures that formed from the nearby shadows of the now unlit street. Only lights from the windows illuminated the darkness as the heartless had effectively managed to knock down every street light they could reach. The figures pulled back hooded cloaks, revealing pale faces and glinting eyes. Each moved with supernatural grace, their bodies relaxed even with the bloodshed and death around them. The Wolf nodded its head, then with a blur of the eye fur gave way to show the tanned flesh of a young man. His arms bulged as he crossed them before his chest, his normally kind face stern and calm.

"The Organization is helping to protect the humans? That's unexpected."

His face changed as he lightly smiled, though it remained firm. The smile grew as a light chuckle echoed from the red haired Vampire, his shoulder placed on a petite blonde's shoulder as he leaned against her.

"How cruel, Zack. And here we wanted to help the poor people with the other sects."

His grin showed sharpened canines that glinted off of the sparse light and his eyes had an amused gleam. The Wolf, Zack, nodded in agreement.

"If only those lazy Mages would get off of their asses and help."

A light laugh echoed throughout them all, only a few refusing to join along. Zack let his laughter fade, then began to walk towards the massacre that was previously ignored as they had spoken.

"If you're ready, there's some heartless that need to be taken care of."

With that, he took off, morphing into his Wolf form as he sensed the others running ahead and by him. His brow narrowed as he growled, thoughts turned onto the threat before them. No one knew where the heartless had come from, or their purpose. The only thing that any being discerned was that the Mages refused to show themselves as they all suffered. The Mages remained inside their Hall, watching over them yet not interceding with the chaos below. The once revered beings were looked down upon as humans struggled to survive, their only help coming from the creature they had once feared.

As Zack entered the downtown intersection, he could see a group of humans nestled in the middle as creatures of different kinds stood in front of them and fought. One human, her strawberry blonde hair tied into two braids, was helping to bandage a Turk's arm even as said Turk refused to look at her. The Fae's cheeks matched her red hair, making Zack bark out a laugh as he knew who it was. With renewed strength, he intercepted a heartless that was able to get through to the pathetic group of survivors. As it reached for a small girl, he crunched its bulbous head in between his sharp teeth, enjoying the wave of pride that coursed through him for his accomplishment. Zack's ears lowered though, as he saw that the girl's fearful eyes were no longer directed at the heartless but instead at him. Without a second glance, he set out towards the mass of living shadow. He found himself next to a similarly colored Wolf that stood almost three feet taller than his six foot height and so he took a fighter's stance, allowing himself to forget that girls' gaze. He released his wrath, fighting as hard as he could, but it was soon apparent to him that the heartless were growing larger. With each that he killed, four replaced their fallen brethren. After what seemed like ages, a small lull in the battle allowed him to look around, taking in the sight of the other fighters. Darkly dressed Fae danced around him, sending small bursts of magic and earthy plants at the heartless. Other Fae darted around holding foreign weapons that sliced easily into their foes. One such Fae blocked a blow from behind, her spikey brown hair spilling down her back and through the air as she spun around quickly to dodge fatal blows.

With a sigh, he charged a new target but stopped as something completely unexpected happened. With no warning, a bright light flashed across the sky, then just as quickly faded away to show glowing writing painted over the stars. As they watched, the ruins disintegrated, turning red as the blood on the ground. The air became still, an eerie feeling all around. All beings, even the spiritually blinded humans tensed as the calm ended abruptly. The air came to life with a rush of wind, the ions in the night sky charged as lighting struck all around them. No race was spared from the effects, not even the heartless that seemed to watch the sky with an unnatural interest. The events did not end, however, as the heartless then started to shake and cry their shrieking wails. They seemed to grow darker, this eyes glowing with a much fiercer light. With a second scream, the once triumphant protectors found themselves being pushed towards the center of the intersection. Feet stepped on feet, and the more irritated creatures snapped at the humans behind them as they whimpered in fear. Zack's ears rested against his skull, his teeth bared. The other Soldiers reflected his position, eyes directed in front of them. One of the humans cried out, his cry echoed as more joined him.

"Where are the Mages? That was magic, so where are they?"

Zack huffed, knowing what was going on in his fighting companions' minds since he too had the same thoughts. That work of magic hadn't been a creation of a spell, but an unwilling destruction of one. As the heartless drew closer, the group grew nearer to one another. Zack didn't know what to do now, and none of the others did as well. The heartless had changed and they couldn't adapt fast enough to combat against them. Deciding that he would rather fight then die idle, he prepared to leap at the enemy. Others around him seemed to think the same, and even some humans began to show strength in their eyes. His actions froze, however, as a light song like voice seemed to echo around them. The air vibrated as the voice was joined by others. Zack fought to keep his eyes focused as the voices intertwined with one another, weaving to create a melody that only spoke of protection and healing. He sighed as warmth spread throughout them, and with a jump, he realized he had closed his eyes. He opened them to see that others had also been affected and that the humans had collapsed into a heap, some leaning against others while some just lay on the floor. He looked forward again, his body turning into tense muscles and gaping jaws.

The heartless had been pushed across the street, directly in front of the group. Their hisses and shrieks filled with malice and hatred at the new figures that stood in front of them. Each had black hooded jackets that molded against their torso and left their arms bare. That is where the similarity ended, however, as each had their own style. The one nearest to him and the other Wolves had sleeves attached to her mid upper arm. Fingerless gloves graced feminine hands that were curved into gentle fists. Tight dark pants were tucked into leather boots, the thick soles stained with the blood on the ground. A half skirt wrapped around her left leg and a small bag rested on the same hip. Her face was slightly turned towards two others who stood with her, one female and the other male. The man was dressed the same, though he lacked the skirt and sleeves. Instead, he wore light gauntlets that covered his forearms. Straps bounded them in place, assuring they wouldn't fall. His jacket stretched down to just below his knees, and with the wind blowing Zack knew it was left open. The other woman had no sleeves or gloves, yet wore a long skirt that enhanced her figure. A large slit up the side stopped at her hip, showing black leggings underneath.

All three were weaponless, yet that detail failed to remain true as a flash of light blinded them. As the flash died off, Zack saw that the fight had already commenced. Each hooded fighter now held their own staff as they gracefully danced throughout the mobs of heartless. They moved with elegance that only the supernatural could achieve. The fight evolved into more as the three began to call magic to their aid. The one with the half skirt held up her staff vertically above her as she was closed in by a ring of heartless, throwing them away from her. A small smirk could be seen as they disintegrated midair from the power she had put behind it. Sharp words were thrown around, words of power that strengthened an unspoken spell causing storms of fire and other elements to be unleashed on the enemies.

As they fought, each showed their potential, and it left Zack wondering why the Mages had been unseen until now. His mind was shifted towards different thoughts, however, as a particularly strong attack knocked down the hood of the half-skirt Mage. Blue eyes glared from a delicate face that he could only see half of since the other side was turned away from him. Spiked blonde hair was tied back into a similar fashion to that of Reno of the Turks. He was frozen as he watched blue eyes glow with each spell, not even turning his head as the other Mages also revealed their faces unwillingly.

_**Three Months Later**_

The situation grew worse after that fight, even with the now constant presence of the Mages. As the fight had ended, the truth had been revealed, much to everyone's chagrin. The Mages had spent the last decade, holding back the heartless with a barrier they had formed protect their world. It had only been recently that holes had been twisted into the shield, letting the heartless out and into their world. It would have been easy for the Mages to fix it, but inside of the darkness existed an entity that they could barely contain. It was because of this that they had left the escaped heartless for the others, hoping they could keep humankind and themselves safe.

But now, the shield was shattered, allowing heartless to have their true strength. The only luck was that the dark being inside of the other dimension had not yet shown itself, but all knew that was only a matter of time. The once bright sky had also changed, morphing into a swirling cloud of darkness above their heads. This only benefitted the Vampires, who hated the light even if they could survive in it. This was the world that Zack currently fought in, where he tried his best to protect the humans and his fellow kin as the heartless invasion grew. His only light now was the one Mage with blonde hair.

To say that Cloud, which was the name he had spent almost a month trying to figure out, had liked the others was a complete lie. She had a cold heart, a mask she used to hide her true self. She would barely speak to Zack, and it was a fact that wouldn't have changed if an ambush hadn't changed their lives. Cloud had joined the Wolves that night, her fellow Mages, Aerith and Leon, having split up to fight alongside the other sects. Her hood was let down as they walked, and with part of her jacket unzipped, they could see a navy blue turtle neck beneath. With the chance they now had to be near her, they could see the earring in her ear and the dark designs of her clothes. Ruins marked in black thread covered the cloth, protection she had later told them after Zack had asked her over and over again. As they strode through the streets, Genesis quizzed her; careful to pick yes and no questions since they all knew she wouldn't answer any other kind.

It was quick, no one truly reacting until it was almost too late. Zack, who had been farthest from the group, soon found himself with clawed hands digging into his human form. He had let out a small cry as they swarmed him, unable to see past the writhing darkness. As they dragged him further, ripping into him as they did, he swore he could see a glimpse of white and with all the strength he could he grabbed onto it with his bloodied hand. A large screech sounded around him as the heartless were cast off of him by tendrils of light, the magic spearing and tearing into the creatures. As he kneeled on the ground, a slight figure crouched next to him while holding his hand. He looked up to see narrowed blue eyes and lips drawn back in hate. His hand was still in hers, and with the connection between the two he could feel her using magic to heal him. He couldn't look away as the fight around them ended and his pack gathered around to see if he was alright. He almost whimpered as her hand left his when Angeal helped him to his shaky feet. His eyes never truly left hers, because for the first time since he had met her, he could finally see a new emotion in her eyes.

Worry.

_**Two Months Later**_

Zack was almost glad that the ambush had occurred, though when it had happened he had the exact opposite emotions about it. Never the less he did owe those little nasty creatures thanks because for some reason the fight had made Cloud care, which somehow morphed into a wacked out friendship that ended with her more or less being a pseudo pack member. The new ties gave them the ability to learn about her and the Mages, like how the staffs were apart of them. Zack always marveled over Clouds' due to the beauty of its design. Two ribbons of white alabaster wrapped around a single pole of a metal he did not know of. A ribbed grip on the center allowed her to maintain a strong grasp as she twirled her staff around while fighting. The crown of the staff was loosely interwoven metal that gently swept out into sharp points throughout the entire weaving. Inside this dome like mass rested a finely detailed wolf's head, its eyes made up of icy blue stones that glowed brighter than anything Zack had seen before. The body of the staff had ruins neatly lined up, glowing much more dimly then the stones on the top. Etchings of mountains and wolves along with gently swirls and sudden sharp angles decorated the surface.

It was only when he asked about it that the greatest weakness of a Mage came into light. They had all known that a Mages' staff was a part of them, but it went much further than that. She hesitantly explained how the staff was their actual soul in physical form. She told them how a Mages' greatest weapon was also the possible cause of their fall. If it broke, so would their soul. They would be lucky if they died instantly; because once a soul broke the person became a lifeless shell. Zack was not pleased to hear this, in fact he was livid.

"Why would you risk fighting with it then? If you blocked a strong enough hit, you'd break it!"

She simply looked at him, and then smiled. The first one they had ever seen on her face, and it was all because of a question no one had seen the outcome of asking it would be. Zack didn't talk to her for a while after that, and when he did it was so difficult to not imagine soulless eyes and blue lips with no breathe passing between them. His inner Wolf saw a pack member that was as weak as she was strong, and he wanted to protect that person. If Cloud realized this, she didn't voice any objection. She knew Zack wouldn't get in her way during a fight, and as long as she did not have his death on her hands she would be okay. The other Wolves were not amused by this, but it still struck a chord of humor with them.

As time goes by, things change as always. Nothing remains the same. Friendships grow, fights occur amongst people, and the heartless continued to grow exponentially. Zack knew this, and worried for the safety of the other beings that had originally been in this world. The Fae were nearly conquered, and so many of them hid in their courts. The Vampires however grew in strength as the darkness canceled out the sun that had always been an annoyance to them. They thrived in the dark made by the heartless, but it was not wanted by them. Zack would hear several, like Xigbar, complain of the different sky saying that they missed the blue. Even those like Larxene would admit to such as well. Demyx, who had no heart for fighting, would use her control of water to brighten the mood of the many orphaned children that now lived in the city. With most of the humans having been slaughtered, none could say that they did not have someone missing in their family. At times like this, a deep sadness would be in Cloud's eyes. The sadness would always be taken over by joy when the children would come to her, though. And it was with those emotions that he began to push his way out of the want to be friends. It stayed hidden, this want of his, because he knew that Cloud did not have that mindset. He knew he would ruin the progress he had made if he did anything outside of the frame of good friends.

It was a year after the Mages had joined the fight when the frame broke for them. Cloud had finally opened up to the other sects, and her part as a pack member was all but her not being an actually Werewolf. Even if she was not able to turn into a Wolf like they could, but the year spent with them as a resident Mage made her part of their strange family. They would fight together, her healing them afterwards if needed. A lightless day gave fruit to a particularly nasty fight that caused the pack to be separated, leaving Cloud and Zack standing back to back amongst the throes of living shadow. The fight was desperate, and neither was unmarked. An unseen attack had sliced across Cloud's arm, tearing off her sleeve and filling the air with the scent of blood which had very poor effects on Zack. He only saw red, he would later say when she asked, and the thought of having to protect the pack. The fight was won thankfully, but yet again it was a part of their future that altered everything. Cloud had seen him risk his life for her, like she had done before. And that frame of friendship shifted, just like Zack's had, and just like Zack she kept it hidden.

It took a night of celebration to change that, and copious amounts of alcohol. She couldn't remember much the next morning, only the fact that as they left he had pushed her against an alley wall and began to roughly kiss her. She only had small fragments that she could recall. Ragged breathes as they ran, the feeling of being thrown onto a bed that she had no idea how she got to. She had heard animal like growls as Zack contained his other side, and her whispers of more. She could feel the pain of nails and the pleasure of something much greater.

Zack did remember though, and he wasn't so happy to find that she did not the next morning. As he pinned her down, his eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a grimace, he could see confusion and fear inside her blue gaze. That look hurt so much, because he knew it was his fault and with a whine he gently placed his forehead against the junction of her neck and color bone, his breath turning heavy.

"I'm not sorry that I love you, but I am sorry for hurting you."

He felt her tense; their naked forms underneath the sheets making her feel vulnerable as she could feel him pressed so close to her. She placed her hand on his head, her finger intertwining with his hair. He waited to feel her pull him off of her and so was caught by surprise as another arm wrapped around his lower neck. She held onto him, and he to her. Their breath harmonized with one another. He pulled his head up to kiss her, and without second though she wrapped her legs around him. They went deeper, and for once both felt complete, and Zack knew without a doubt that he had found the other half of his soul.

The fighting did not stop, even with the start of something new. Those amongst the protector's ranks fell, others damaged and disfigured. Many of the Turks and Fae that had remained to help had been killed, only a few still breathing. One Turk, Reno, had lost her eyesight due to a heartless slamming her head against a wall. She had recovered well enough to fight again, but large skirmishes overwhelmed the hearing and other senses she used to make up for her loss of sight. It filled Zack with fear, since Cloud had been on that patrol with Reno when it had happened. It was only because of Cloud's magic along with Sora and Rikus' protection that Reno had lived to find herself in a bed surrounded by Rufus, Tseng, Elena and Rude. The five were the only surviving Turks, and because of this were even more closely knit than the pack.

Zack should have taken all the recent deaths and injuries to heart, he should have been ready. But no one ever knows the future. No one was prepared when an orb of darkness fell from the sky at terminal speed, creating a large crater in the middle of the human city. The entity had come, his orange eye dark with sadistic glee. The moon gleamed off of his shaven head, making the epicenter of all darkness look pure and clean. No one was fooled though, as the mere presence of his being gave light to what he was. They fought together, all now a familiar combat force. The Mages had created protection over the city with the spell Eden, producing white branches to surround and protect the city as they fought on the top of the dome it created. The branches glowed in the dark, letting light illuminate their surroundings.

As the fight neared its end, everything began to go wrong. A sudden wave of heartless hobbled the Organization, making them weak as they hammered on them. The entity himself had disappeared in darkness, only to stand behind the Fae. There, he had attacked from behind causing blood and cries of pain to fill the air. The pack moved in, Soldier fighting to protect and kill. But even they too fell. Soon, the only thing Zack could see was a horizontal view of the world as he collapsed on the ground. He watched, unable to do anything as the Mages defended them. He could hear songs of healing mixed in with commands of attack and defense. With the strength barely given to him, he and the others made it to their knees, only to see one fall. Aerith fell to one knee as the enemy threw her from him. He charged her, ready to bring down a blade made of darkness, his eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted into a feral grin. With a flash of blonde the sword was stopped by a staff, Cloud standing over her companion. Blood was splattered over her, her jacket torn and hanging open and only her turtleneck kept her modest. A large cut across her cheek continuously bled as he pushed her farther down.

A crack was heard, and all three Mages eyes widened before a final crack beckoned the breaking of Clouds' staff. Bright magic exploded from the fragmented remnants of Cloud's soul, hitting all that stood on the glowing branches of Eden and healing their bodies. The blue gems dimmed on the staff as it fell out of Clouds' hands. A moment, which felt like forever, passed before she too followed its descent.

"NO!"

Zack did not realize that the scream came from him. His only wish was to get to her, to grab her before she fell. He succeeded, and as he held her the two other Mages circled around the both of them. He did not pay heed to the sound of the others fighting to avenge what they had just seen. He could only stare into those blue eyes, the ones what were now dull and lifeless. Breathe passed through pale lips, alerting him that she was not dead. But it didn't matter. He let out a choked sob as his fingers intertwined with her hair and he placed his head on the junction of her neck and collarbone, just as he had done the night they had shared for the first time. But it was different now, only half a soul remained between the two. He heard the entity's final cries, but it didn't matter.

She was gone.

_Cloud found herself in a light greater than she could imagine, a place resonating with magic and purity. Around her, she could see the faces of those that had die, but now they looked perfect and healthy. Deathly pale skin and glazed eyes no longer existed on them like when she had last seen them with. The knowledge, while bringing great joy, also brought sadness. She breathed heavily, knowing that she had died. One of them, a Fae she had seen perish beside her only a few months back spoke to her,_

"_We can move on now, the war is over."_

_She looked at the ones before her, before a small smile shone on her face. She shook her head, then looked behind her towards the misty picture of a broken battlefield and of a now blue sky. The city still stood, white branches stretched above it until the world ended._

"_There is someone I need to wait for."_

_She could see a black haired figure, kneeling down and holding a blonde woman. She watched the tears fall down his face and immediately knew that if she waited here, one day she would be able to wipe those away herself. So, ready to wait, she watched through the mist to see what she would be missing, but also to what she could expect when they were finally united once more._


End file.
